Gainsboro Branch of the Roanoke City Public Library
Also known as: Gainsboro Library (DHR File No. 128-256)
Why it's listed
Built in 1941-42 at the corner of Patton Avenue and Gainsboro Road in Roanoke, Virginia, this one-story brick library was designed for the city's then-segregated black neighborhoods. Roanoke architects Eubank and Caldwell gave it a domestic, Tudor Revival character, with dark red brick walls, a steep slate roof, bow windows and a rusticated limestone doorway with an ogee arch. Inside, a large reading room keeps its beamed cove ceiling and oak Mission-style bookcases. The building replaced an earlier branch that opened in 1921 in rented space in the Odd Fellows Hall, which African American leaders had worked to secure. Funded entirely by local bond money, it avoided the delays that affected federally supported projects. It is the city's only pre-war revivalist branch library still serving its original purpose. It remains a neighborhood library in the historically black Gainsboro area and is valued for its links to education and African American heritage.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A in Education and Ethnic Heritage: Black. The library is tied to efforts by African American leaders to secure and keep a separate branch library in Gainsboro. It was the neighborhood's second library home, after a 1921 branch in the Odd Fellows Hall, and it continues to serve as a neighborhood library.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96001448, listed December 2, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 15 Patton Ave., NW, Roanoke (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | December 2, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001448 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1941-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Eubank and Caldwell |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a neighborhood branch library on its original site, with its exterior and interior largely unaltered; a wheelchair-accessible ramp was added in 1994-1995. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Gainsboro Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.27729, -79.94117 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96001448.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891488
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.